Compilation shows off Atlantic Voices

In stores now is a wonderful 14-track compilation entitled Atlantic Voices. Released by Warner Music Canada, the compilation features some of the Atlantic region’s finest female singers and songwriters, including Moncton’s Julie Doiron, Meaghan Smith and Catherine MacLellan.

Overseeing the compilation is John Poirier, the Atlantic Regional Manager for Warner Music. Poirier is far from a novice in the business; he has put his good ear for music to great use in the past, having also overseen the Atlantic Standards Series released earlier this decade. The two Atlantic Standards volumes of music that have been released to date focused on more traditional east coast music with bands like The Barra MacNeils, Great Big Sea and The Rankins among many others. Atlantic Voices isn’t rooted so much in tradition as it serves to simply give some great songs broader exposure.

In addition to having selected the artists for Atlantic Voices, Poirier also sequenced the record as well as serving as the project’s art director.

“Atlantic Voices was created in order to expose the incredible diversity of musical talent originating from Atlantic Canada,” Poirier explains. “Every one of these songs can stand up to anything offered by other artists in the rest of the country; every single track on the record is stellar.”

Atlantic Voices contains a broad cross-section of music, from Sherry Ryan’s organ-guitar classic “Leave The Lights On” through Ruth Minnikin’s melodic song “Depend On This”, there is something sure to please everyone on this record. And it will also show that the east coast has a vibrant singer-songwriter contingent to show off to the rest of the country.

Jenn Grant, whose track “Sailing By Silverships” is featured on the record, is also responsible for the Atlantic Voices cover artwork. She agrees with Poirier’s above statement and adds:

“The record is a great celebration of East Coast music and songwriters. A lot of my good friends are featured on the record and it’s a lot of fun for all of us to be brought together like this.”

Grant then took the opportunity to explain the inspiration behind the cover art:

“Around the time I was working on the artwork for Atlantic Voices, I had been doing some carving with wood, so I decided to try that again for this project. I wanted the face to project a symbol of power and beauty while I wanted to be sure to include water as one of the representations of living on the east coast.

“Rebecca Kraatz designed the cover artwork for Joel Plaskett’s Ashtray Rock CD, which I really loved, and it served as an indirect inspiration on this work of mine, as well.”

Christina Martin, whose track “Two Hearts” is on the disc, takes the importance of the compilation a step further saying, “I think it’s an honour to be on the compilation with these women. It is always a challenge to get your music out to people and Atlantic Voices serves as a great opportunity to get our music out to more people.

“These types of compilations also allow us to reach other markets that we might not have been able to otherwise reach.”

Martin acknowledges that breaking out of any music scene can be a tough go for anybody however seeing some of her friends making a full-time go of it inspired her to leave her full-time job and pursue music as well.

“I was really inspired by Rose Cousins; to see her make the move, quit her job and turn to music full-time was great. That inspired me,” Martin admits. “I had been playing music for years and never thought it possible to do it full time. But then I started seeing others like Jill Barber make it happen for themselves and figured that there was no reason why I couldn’t do it too!”

Indeed there is a bevy of talent waiting to be discovered as well as those needing your support. So pick yourself up a copy of Atlantic Voices and tune yourself into some amazing homegrown talent.